Lever and endless chain log turner for saw mill carriages



Aug. 30, 1960 c. o. WEIKEL 2,950,742

LEVER mo ENDLESS CHAIN LOG TURNER FOR SAW MILL CARRIAGES Filed Ma 11, 1959 2 Sheets-She et 1 ATTORNEYS 1960 c. o. WEIKEL LEVER AND ENDLESS CHAIN LOG TURNER FOR SAW MILL CARRIAGES Filed May 11, 1959' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aiBiQF AM I,

LEVER AND ENDLESS CHAIN LOG TURNER FOR SAW lvilLL CARRIAGES Claude O. Weikel, 1438 Velma Ave., Santa Rosa, Calif.

Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 814,140

11 Claims. (Cl. 143-102) My invention relates to log turners for saw mill carriages.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention has among its primary objects to provide a log turner which is simple in construction, highly eflicient in service, and which can be readily installed on standard saw mill carriages, the nature of the device being such that a log or length of timber can be quickly turned without even partial removal from the carriage, and while the direction of travel of the latter is being reversed.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood and appreciated by those versed in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawings in connection with the detailed description thereof to follow.

It is also to be noted that invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts employed and in modes of operation thereof.

In pursuance of the requirements of the patent statutes, the now preferred form of my invention is illustrated and will be described later on herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosure is to be taken as illustrative rather than limitative, since my inventive concept is susceptible of other mechanical expressions within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts wherever they appear in the several views Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a saw mill carriage with my log turner applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, numeral 19 designates generally the frame of a conventional saw mill carriage having the laterally spaced and longitudinally extending sills 11 which are supported at each 'end by the cross members 12. The usual framesupporting wheels 13, 14 are suitably carriedby cross members 12 and run on the customary track rails 13a, 140, as indicated in Fig. '1.

Coming now to my improved log turner, and referring to Fig. 1, the same comprises duplicate units which are spaced in the direction of the length of the carriage 10. Each unit comprises a head block 15 having the ears 15:: which are bolted as at 16 to carriage sills 11.

In the present instance, each head block 15 has the longitudinally coextensive inward projection 15b which provides in its top surface the T-form guideway 17. This guideway 17 slidably receives the T-form lower portion 18a of the base 18b of the knee 18.

Each knee 18 is preferably triangular in side elevation as indicated. Also, as shown, the intermediate portion of the outer surface of each knee assembly 18, 18a, 1% has the elongated and functionally integral guide nited States Patent ice bar 180 which slides on the top surface of the adjacent head block 15. The purpose of the knee-carried guide bars 180 will be presently understood.

At this point it should be observed that the duplicate knee assemblies 18, 18b, 180 are adjusted by the usual means (not shown) toward and away from the plane of the saw (not shown). The saw will be located at the right of the carriage 19 as viewed in Fig. 1.

Referring again to knees 18, it will be noted that the forward face of each is grooved as at 19 to seat a functionally integral channel bar 20, the lower end of which extends into the forward end of a rearwardly extending top surface recess 21 (Fig. 2) in the knee base 1812.

An endless and driven log or work-supporting and conveying chain 22 which is trained about gears 23, 24, 25 has an upper run, as indicated, which is supported by the bight of the channel 20 so as to project beyond the edges of the channel sides. Gears 23 and 24 are idlers which are journalled onshafts 23a, 24a at the lower and upper ends, respectively, of channel bar 219. However, the gear 25 of each knee assembly 18 is fast on the driven knee assembly-connecting shaft 25a. This shaft 25a is journalled in bearings 25b carried by the respective kneecarried guide bars 180 and has a chain (22) driving gear 25 adjacent each end.

The means for driving shaft 25a will be presently described.

Coming now to the means for actuating a log or timber 47 to the position for sawing and for sustaining same in such position, it will be seen that same comprises a pivoted dog 27 which is associated with each knee assembly 18, etc.

In each instance dog 27 has its lower end pivoted as at 27a to the inner end of the related lower idle gearcarry-ing shaft 23:: adjacent the inner side of the related knee 18. These dogs 27 are actuated from the vertical log-sawing position of Fig. 1 to the rearward position of Fig. 2 by piston rods 28 which are pivoted as at 28a to the upper or rear dog ends. The rear dog ends in the Fig. 2 position extend well beyond the upper end of knee 18 as shown, and have forwardly projecting log intercepting stops 27b.

Piston rods 28 extend from cylinders 30 and are connected to pistons 2? working therein. The inner end of each cylinder 30 has a bearing extension which is pivoted as at 31 to a bearing 32 that is bolted as at 33 to the top of the knee base 18b as indicated.

Although other piston-actuating means may be employed, I have illustrated in Figure 2 coil springs 34 surrounding the respective piston rods 28 between the outer cylinder cap 315a and the piston 29 for normally maintaining the latter retracted, as in Fig. 2, against the internal cylinder-provided stop 35. This maintains the forward longitudinal edges of the dogs 27 inwardly of the plane of the free and forwardly directed edges of the knee supported channel bar 20 so that a log 47 can be actuated by chain 22 as will be presently explained.

Outward actuation of the pistons 29 against the action of springs 34 to force dogs 27 to the Fig. 1 position is accomplished by air or fluid under pressure from a suitable source (not shown) and admitted to cylinder 30 through hose 36 at a point rearwardly of the piston stop 35, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The drive for the shaft 25a which actuates the kneecarried log-shifting chains 22 in the various forwardly or rearwardly shifted positions of the knee assemblies 18, 1812, etc., includes head block-carried log-conveying chains 37 and will now be described in detail. In carrying out this phase of the invention, the endless log conveying chain 37 of each head block 15 is trained over a forward sprocket 38 and a rear sprocket 39 so that the Patented Aug. 30, 1960 v 7 presented toward the saw.

top run of the chain travels along the top surface of the related head block 15. The forward sprockets 38 are idlers and are journalled on separate shafts 38a. However, the rear sprockets 39 are fast on a common drive shaft 39a which is journalled in bearingsjit} carried by the respective head blocks 15. r i

Fig. 1 shows that the head block-carried chains '37 are slack enough so that the top run of each can be trained over a gear 41 adjacent the related end of the shaft 25a which drives the knee-carried chains 22. Thus, the head block-carried chains 37 acting through gears 41, 25 and shaft 255a'drive the knee-carried chains 22.

Note also that the functionally integral knee-carried guide bars 180 have bottom channels 37a through which chains 37 pass and which effect constant engagement of the latter with the related gear 41. It will be clear that the chain and gear engagement 37, 41 will continuere- 'gardless of the position of the knee assemblies 18, '18b with respect to carriage sills 11.

The common drive shaft 39:: for the head block-carried log shifting chains 37 is driven byjan electric motor 42 whose armature shaft 43 has the clutch or other conventional drive connection 44 with an adjacent end of shaft 3%. The motor 42 may be mounted on carriage 14) at any convenient point, .as, for instance, on the shelf r so that springs 34 will retract the piston 29 and dogs 27.

Movement of the dogs 27 to the Fig. 2 position results in one of them engaging and closing a normally open switch 48 in the circuit of motor 42 so as to start the same to effect a counter-clockwise drive of the log actu- 7 ating chains 22, 37. Switch 48 may be of any conventional type and may be carried at one side of one of the knees rs as suggested in Fig. 3.

The inward travel of the top run of the head blockcarried chains 37 delivers the timber or other work 47 to the upper runof the knee-carried chains 22 and cooperates with the latter to rock timber through an angle of about forty-five degrees as suggested in Fig; 2. Stops 271) at the free ends of the dogs 27 limit upward movement of the work.

When the timber 47 is in the dotted line position of Fig. 2, a valve (not shown) is manually opened to supply compressed air or fluid to the cylinder 30 through line 36 to return the dogs 37 to the Fig. 1 position. This actuates the work 47 to sawing position with a new face Return of the dogs 27 to the Fig. 1 position results in the breaking of the circuit of motor 42 at the site of the normally'open switch 48 with the resultant stoppage of the travel of chains 37, 22.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the turning of the log or other work 47 is efiected efficiently and quickly While the latter is on the carriage and in the interval when its travel direction is being reversed. My improvements obviate the need for the location of any log turning elements on the adjacent log deck (not shown). This is an important advantage over prior art devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: a

. 1. The combination with a work-supportingsaw mill carriage frame having a saw-adjacent'side; of a self contained work-turning means comprising a driven work- 4 portion of said first work shifting means and also operating inwardly with respect to the saw side of said carriage, the second means receiving work from the first means and being upwardly and rearwardly inclined to support and tilt the travelling work, drive means for said workshifting means, lever means operable to rockhagly move the work to sawing position adjacent the saw side of said carriage and to present a new work surface toward a saw, and actuating means for said 'lever'rneansr 2. The combination set forth in claim 1, and each of saidwork-shifting means including endless conveyors.

3. The combination 'set forth in claim 1, and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, and said second workshifting means carried by said knee-incorporating structure.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, each of said workshifting means comprising' endlessconveyors, and said second endless conveyor carried by said knee-incorporating structure. 7 i t 5. The combination set forth in claim 1, and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, each of said workshifting means comprising endless conveyors, said second endless conveyor carried by said knee-incorporating structure, and a drive connection between said conveyors position toward the saw side of said carriage.

5 incorporating structure.

7.'The combination set forth in claim 1 and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carriedmeans mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, said second workshifting means carried by said knee-incorporating structure, said lever means comprising a member pivoted to said knee-incorporating structure. 7 7 V 8, The combination set forth in claim hand worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, said second workshifting means carried by said knee-incorporating structure, said lever means comprising a memberpivoted to said knee-incorporating structure, and the actuating means for said lever means comprising a piston-actuated rod, a piston, a cylinder in which said piston works and a pivotal connection betweensaid cylinder andsaid knee- 9. The combination set. forth in claim 1, and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, said second workshifting means carried by said knee-incorporating structure, said lever means comprising a member pivoted to said, knee-incorporating structure, each of said workshifting means comprising endless conveyors, and said second conveyor carried .by said knee-incorporating structure. 1'

10. The combination set forthin claim l and worksupporting knee-incorporating structure, carriage frame carried means mounting said knee-incorporating structure for movement transversely thereof, said second work shifting means carried by said knee-incorporating structure, said lever means comprising a member pivoted to said knee-incorporating structure, each of said workshifting meanscomprising endless'conveyo'rs, said second conveyor vcarried by said knee incorporating structure,

tive in all adjusted positions of said knee-incorporating structure.

11. The combination with a work-supporting saw mill carriage frame having a saw-adjacent side; of a self contained work-turning and sustaining means comprising a driven work-shifting means operating horizontally inwardly from adjacent the saw side of said carriage, a second work-shifting means located inwardly of at least the outer portion of said first work shifting means and also operating inwardly with respect to the saw side of said carriage, the second means receiving work from the first means and being upwardly and rearwardly inclined to support and tilt the travelling work, drive means for said work-shifting means, lever means operable to and from rockingly move the work to sawing position adjacent the 6 saw side of said carriage and to present a new work surface toward a saw, actuating means for said lever means on the carriage, and said actuating means-sustained lever when in its upright position constituting a rigid backing member for the work during the sawing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 162,088 Miles Apr. 13, 1875 497,768 Cole May 23, 1893 776,949 Shaver Dec. 6, 1904 852,231 Kennedy Apr. 30, 1907 1,755,087 Trullinger Apr. 15, 1930 

